Register



Nov, 8, 1938. J. A. GERMONPREZ REGISTER Filed May 9, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR John A. Germonprez BY WM La-10m, w

ATTORNEYS Nov. 3, 1938.

J. A. G M Z REGISTER Filed May 193 3 Sheet 2 Qo-M ORN NVENT 0n prez 3. w M lwxnx Joh ILA;

Nov. 8; 1938 J. A. GERMONPREZ 2,135,810

' REGISTER Filed May 9, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR John A. G'ermon rez BY fu'hl M 0 1 7AM. ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REGISTER Application May 9, 1936, Serial No. 78,807

20 Claims.

The invention pertains to registers for use in air conditioning systems for controlling the discharge of air into a room or other space to be conditioned; and it has particular reference to registers intended for use in controlling the discharge of air laterally from an elongated air duct.

One object of the invention is to provide a register having a combination grille and damper of an advantageous character providing for the efiectual control of air in its discharge from an air duct.

A further object is to provide'a register having a damper composed of a plurality of pivoted vanes movableunder the control of a common operator from a closed position in which the vanes cooperate to' cut oil completely the discharge of air, to an open position in which the vanes may occupy different angular positions relative to each other to efiect an improved distribution of the air discharged laterally from the duct.

Another object is to provide a register having a damper of the character indicated in which the vanes are moved from closed to open position under the influence of individual springs, in combination with adjustable means for varying the degree of opening movement of the vanes.

Still another object is to provide a grille of an improved construction to permit control of the 30 direction of the discharge of the air passing therethrough in accordance with varying conditions encountered in use.

A further object is to provide an improved grille construction having air directing and guiding surfaces disposed in substantially perpendicular relation edgewise to the flow of the air and adjustable relative to each other to change the direction of air flow.

Another object is to provide a grille composed of thin fins disposed in spaced parallel relation edgewise to the flow of air, in combination with transversely disposed members individually adjustable to change the direction of flow through the grille.

Another object is to provide a grille having a plurality of fins arranged in groups with the fins of each group supported in fixed relation and the several groups adjustable relative to each other to control the air in its discharge from the grille.

A further object is to provide a grille having closely spaced air directing and guiding surfaces in combination with improved means for diffusing the air in its passage into the room.

The objects of the invention thus generally stated, together with other and ancillary advantages are attained by the construction and arrangement shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary horizontal plan sec 5 tion through a side wall of a room having an opening therein communicating with one side of an air duct and equipped with a register constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail view illustrating the mode of 10 operation of the springs for the damper vanes.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view showing particularly the grille covering the front side of the air discharge opening.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken in the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 3 but on a larger scale.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the construction of the grille.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken approximately in the plane of line 66 of Fig. 4 with the damper in closed position.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken approximately in the plane of line 1-1 of Fig. 6 and showing the manner of supporting one of the pivotal grille units.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately in the plane of line 88 of Fig. 4 and illustrating the means for varying the extent of angular movement of the vanes of the damper in moving from closed to open position.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary edge view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8 and looking from the left of the latter figure.

Referring first to Fig. 1, I have shown my invention as embodied in a register mounted within a rectangular opening H) in one side wall ll of a room to be supplied with conditioned air from a horizontally extending duct It. 'The register, indicated generally by the numeral I3, com- 40 prises a multi-vane damper 14 disposed rearwardly within the opening l0, and a grille I5 arranged forwardly of the damper which has an operating lever l6 extending forwardly through one side of the grille. I! is a rectangular frame secured within the opening ID as by means of screws l8 (Fig. 4) and serving to support both the grille and the damper.

The damper I4 is of the type comprising a plurality of vanes l9 supported for pivotal movement on spaced parallel axes within a frame 20 (Fig. 4) removably secured within the main supporting frame IT. The damper frame may comprise a fiat rectangular front frame member 2| and a rectangular side frame member 22 having front flanges 23 secured as by spot welding to the rear face of the front frame member 2|. Screws 24 entered through the front frame member 2| and engaging with inturned flanges 25 at the rear of the main supporting frame serve to hold the frame 2| in position.

The vanes l9 are made of thin strips of sheet metal pivotally supported at their opposite ends near one edge thereof for swinging movement. Said axes are herein disposed vertically near one edge of the vanes, so that the latter are swing able from an overlapping closed relation as shown in Fig. 6, to an open relation as shown in Fig. 1. Each of the vanes is provided at opposite ends with hinge lugs 28 mounted on headed pivot pins 21 carried by the side frame member 22. As shown in Fig. 6 the side edges of the vanes l9 are suitably shaped for coaction in completely closing the opening through the register.

Referring now to Fig. 1, it has been found that when the opening through which the air is to be discharged, is located at one side of an air duct, a larger volume of air will attempt to pass through the farther side of the opening, having in view the direction of fiow of the air in the duct. Therefore, in order to effect a more equal distri-' 'bution of the air in its passage through the opening, I provide actuating means for the damper vanes such that when the lever I6 is actuated to open the damper, the vanes I! may occupy different relative angular positions. Thus as shown in Fig. 1, the extent of opening movement of the vanes is gradually decreased toward the right so as to restrict the passage of air at this side of the grille, leaving the other side thereof relatively unrestricted to compensate for an effective lower pressure at that side. I

In attaining this result, I provide individual spring actuators for each of the vanes, controlled by the operating lever I8 and coacting with ad- Justable stops determining the extent of opening movement of the vanes by their springs. Said spring actuators comprise coiled springs 28 (Figs. 2 and 6) having one arm 28 anchored to one of the hinge lugs 28 of each of the vanes, and another arm 38 anchored to a stud 3| mounted on a bar 32. Said bar forms a part of a parallel motion linkage having supporting arms 33 pivoted on the studs- 3| and mounted on the pivot pins 21 of the various vanes IS. The arrangement is such that when the bar 32 is moved lon tudinally to an extent sumcient to carry the studs 3| through over-center relation to the anchoring points of the arms 29 of the springs 28 (Fig. 2), the vanes will be swung by their springs into open or closed position as the case may be, depending upon the direction of movement of the bar. Thus as shown in Fig. 6 when the bar 32 is moved downwardly, the studs 3| and the spring arms 30 anchored thereto are moved through over-center relation to the anchoring points of the spring arms 28, first placing the springs under tension and finally causing them to swing the vanes into open position. The reverse operation will be apparent from Fig. 1.

In Fig. 2, the parts are shown substantially at the point of moving through dead center relation for the purpose of operating the vanes from open to closed position.

Upon further movement of the actuator 32 to the right, as viewed in that figure, the spring 28 will snap open and turn the vane 3 in a counterclockwise direction to closed position. With the vane in closed position, the end of the spring necessarily lies between the actuator 32 and the frame 2 I as shown in Fig. 6. Upon reverse operation, that is, when the actuator is moved from the damper-closed position shown in Fig. 6 toward the damper-open position shown in Fig. l, the spring 28 will be rocked about its pivot on the end of the arm 28 due to the greater length of the arm 33. This movement is continuous until the end of the spring extends over the actuator as shown in Fig. 1. When the two arms of the spring pass over the center point, the spring will snap open to turn the vane IS in a clockwise direction to open position.

Movement of the bar 32 is accomplished in the present instance by the operating lever I which for this purpose is rigid with one of the arms 33 and projects forwardly to the front of the register.

In view of the employment of individual actuating springs for the several vanes of the damper, it will be apparent that the extent of opening movement of each of the vanes may be limited as desired. The means employedin the present instance for thus limiting the extent of opening movement of the vanes comprises a series of stops, one for each vane and arranged for coaction with the hinge lugs on the ends of the vanes opposite the actuating means therefor. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9,- each of the stops is in the form of a lug 34 formed on a disk 35 and arranged for engagement by a shoulder 36 formed on the adjacent hinge lug 28. The position of the stop lug 34 is varied by the operation of a screw 31 meshing with teeth 38 on the periphery of the disk 35. Each of the screws 31 is supported at its forward end of the front frame member 2| and flange 23 secured thereto, and at its rear end by 9. lug 38 struck up from the side frame member 22. For convenience in operating the screws from the forward side of the register the screws are provided with sockets 40 for the reception of a wrench of the well known screw head type.

It will be seen that the over-center springs 28 provide yieldable connections between the several vanes l9 and their common operating member 32, such that the extent of opening movement of each of the vanes may be determined independently of other vanes by the adjustment of the stops 34.

In addition to the control of the flow of air effected by the damper l4, when in its open position (Fig. 1), provision is made for a supplemental control by the grille |5 which is so constructed as to provide air guiding and directing surfaces adjustable to meet varying conditions encountered in use. To this end, the grille is composed of a plurality of units adjustable relative to each other to control the direction of dis- .charge of the air transversely in one direction across the discharge opening, and each capable of individual adjustment to control the discharge in another direction substantially at right angles to the first.

In the present instance, I have shown five such units (Figs. 3 and 4) designated a, b, c, d and e. Each comprises a plurality of thin sheet metal 1 fins 4| (herein three) secured together in closely closely confined streams, the side faces of the fins and plates providing directing and guiding surfaces adapted to control the direction of flow.

While the particular construction to be employed may vary widely, the fins 4| are herein shown as formed substantially fiat, with a rear or entering edge portion 43 and a front or discharge edge portion 44. The cross plates are of a width somewhat less than the width of the fins (Fig. 5) and are formed with lugs 45 at their upper and lower rear edges pressed into slots 46 cut in the rear edges of the upper and lower fins of each of said units. The cross plates are provided with central notches 41 in their forward edge portions, and the rear edge portions of the intermediate fins of each unit have notches 48 for receiving the portions of the cross plates rearwardly of the notches 4'! therein. Thus the several fins of each unit are maintained in proper spaced relation and the rear portions and the cross plates maintained in proper laterally spaced relation.

The several units a, b, c, d and e of the grille are pivotally supported at their opposite ends for adjustment relative to each other. For this purpose the three fins of each unit are provided with opposite end flanges 49, 50 and 5t, overlapping at one side edge of the unit and apertured to receive headed pivot pins 52 mounted in opposite side members 53 of a rectangular frame 54 supported within the main frame l1. Said side frame members 54 are preferably in the form of outwardly facing channels (Figs. 6 and 7) to provide clearance spaces for the heads of the pins 52. The top and bottom frame members 55, however, are in the form of inwardly facing channel members (Fig. 4) fitting snugly within the main frame and formed with recesses 56 yieldably engaging with bosses 51 struck inwardly from the main frame l1.

It will be seen that by the construction thus provided, the several units of the grille are mounted for individual adjustment. As shown in Fig. 4, the two upper units a and b are tilted upwardly and the two lower units at and e tilted downwardly. To hold the units in their adjusted positions, each of the pivot pins 52 may be equipped with a spring washer 58 adapted to increase the frictional resistance between the units and their respective supporting pins.

It will be observed that by adjusting the several units on their pivotal axes, the direction of flow of the air passing through the opening may be changed as desired in a direction transversely of such axes. In addition, each of the units is capable of individual adjustment to impart a change in the direction of air flow from a plane disposed substantially perpendicular to the axes of the units. Thus in the present instance, the several units are adjustable on horizontal axes and by thus tilting the fins 4| change the direction of air fiow vertically: and the cross members 42 of the individual units are adjustable on upright axes so as to deflect the air laterally. Such lateral adjustment is effected in the present instance by bending the forward portions of the cross plates in one direction or the other as shown in Fig. 6, the rear edge portions of the cross plates being firmly supported by their engagement with the rear edge portions of the several fins.

In order to diffuse the air passing through the grille, the fins composing the several units are preferably formed near their discharge edge portions with diffusing elements 59. These are formed by slitting the fins along short parallel lines near the discharge edges of the fins and striking out portions of the fins rearwardly of such slits. In addition the discharge edge portions of the cross plates may be bent to form laterally projecting diffusing elements 60.

It will be seen that with the arrangement shown in Fig. 6, portions of the air stream passing through the side portions of the grille will be deflected laterally in opposite directions by the cross plates 42, thus tending to spread out the air current horizontally so as to distribute the air over a wider area. It is contemplated that the cross plates will be bent only upon installation, the particular manner in which they are bent being determined by the conditions encountered on the job.

I claim as my invention:

1. A damper for registers comprising, in combination with an air passage, a plurality of vanes pivotally mounted to turn on spaced parallel axes into and out of a common plane to close and open the air passage, a common operating member movable between damper-open and damperclosed positions, a plurality of springs interposed between said member and said vanes each arranged to transmit the damper opening movement of said member to one of said vanes, and means associated with the respective vanes for limiting the positions to which the individual vanes may turn under the action of said springs.

2. A damper for registers comprising, in combination with an air passage, a plurality of vanes pivotally mounted to turn on spaced parallel axes into and out of a common plane to close and open the air passage, a common operating member movable between damper-open and damperclosed positions, a plurality of springs each arranged to transmit the damper opening movement of said member to one of said vanes, and a plurality of stops associated with the respective vanes for limiting the opening movements thereof under the action of said springs, said stops being individually adjustable to permit the difierent vanes to be opened varying degrees.

3. A damper for registers comprising, in combination with an air passage, a plurality of vanes pivotally mounted to turn on spaced parallel axes into and out of a common plane to close and open the air passage, a common operating member movable between damper-open and damperclosed positions, a plurality of springs each arranged to' transmit the damper opening movement of said member to one of said vanes, and a plurality of stops each adjustable about the axis of one of said vanes and operating to limit the position to which said vane may turn under the action of said springs.

4. A damper for registers comprising, in combination with an air passage, a plurality of vanes pivotally mounted to turn on spaced parallel axes into and out of a common plane to close and open the air passage, an arm on each of said vanes swingable therewith about the vane axis, a sec ond arm for each vane hinged on the axis thereof, a common operating member connected to all of said second arms and operating upon movement in one direction to swing all of the second arms over center relative to the first arms in one direction, said second arms being swung over center in the other direction in the reverse movement of said operating member, a plurality of springs each connecting the free ends of one of said first and second arms and operative when the second arm has moved over center to swing the first arm and vane connected therewith to closed or open position according to the direction of such over-center movement, and a stop for each vane acting to limit the opening movement thereof and individually adjustable to enable the opening movement of the vane to be varied.

5. A register comprising, in combination, a frame mounted in the open end of an air duct, a plurality of damper vanes extending across said frame and pivotally mounted thereon to turn about spaced parallel axes into and out of a common plane disposed forwardly from said axes, a common operating member movable between damper-open and damper-closed positions, yieldable means for transmitting the damper opening movement of said member to the respective vanes, a plurality of movable stops on said frame disposed rearwardly of said plane and each operatlng to limit the degree of opening movement of one of said vanes, and actuators for the different stops operable individually from the front of said register to change the positions of .the stops.

6. A register having, in combination, a frame mounted in the open end of an air duct, a plurality of damper vanes swingable about spaced parallel axes between open and closed positions, a common operating member, yieldable devices for transmitting the movements of said member to the respective vanes, stops individually adjustable about the axes of the vanes and operating to limit the opening movements of said vanes, and means for varying the positions of said stops independently of each other.

'7. A register having, in combination, a frame mounted in the open end of an air duct, a plurality of damper vanes swingable about spaced parallel axes between open and closed positions, a common operating member, yieldable devices for transmitting the movements of said member to the respective vanes, a plurality of arms swingable about the respective vane axes, each of said arms carrying a gear segment, stops on said arms acting to limit the extent of opening movements of said vanes, and a plurality of screws each meshing with one of said segments and rotatably mounted in said frame.

8. A register having, in combination, a frame mounted in the open end of an air duct, a plurality of damper vanes swingable about spaced parallel axes between open and closed positions, a common operating member, yieldable devices for transmitting the movements of said member to the respective vanes, a plurality of arms swingable about the respective vane axes, each of said arms carrying a gear segment, stops on said arms acting to limit the extent of opening movements of said vanes, and a plurality of gear elementseach meshing with and normally operating to maintain the adjusted position of one of said segments.

9. A damper for registers comprising, in combination with an air passage, a plurality of vanes pivotally mounted to turn on spaced parallel axes into and out of a common plane to close and open the air passage, a common operating mem ber movable between damper-open and damperclosed positions, a plurality of springs each connecting one of said vanes and said member and operating when said member is moved to damper-closing position to urge the vane into said plane, said springs operating in the damperopening movement of said member to swing the vanes out of said plane, and a plurality of adjustable stops limiting the positions to which the different vanes may be swung by their springs.

away from closed position.

10. A damper for registers comprising, in combination, a plurality of vanes pivotally mounted to turn on spaced parallel axes, a common operating member movable between damper-open and damper-closed positions, a plurality of springs each connecting one of said vanes and said member and operating when said member is moved to damper-closing position to urge the vane into said plane, fixed stops engaging the vanes and arresting the movement thereof when the vanes have moved into a common plane, said springs operating in the damper-opening movement of said member to swing the vanes out of said plane, and a plurality of individually adjustable stops limiting the positions to which the different vanes may be swung by their springs away from closed position. v

11. A damper for registers comprising, in combination, a plurality of vanes pivotallymounted on spaced parallel axes to turn into and out of closed position, a common operating member movable in opposite directions between predetermined damper-open and damper-closed positions, actuators individual tosaid vanes and operable in the movements of said member in opposite directions to move said vanes in opposite directions, and means for varying the extent of opening movement of certain of said vanes by their respective actuators independently of the extent of movement of said operating member.

12. A register having, in combination, a frame arranged to be mounted in the open end of an air duct, a plurality of vanes extending across and movably mounted in said frame, a common operating member for moving the vanes in unison between closed and open positions, and means associated with the respective vanes and operable selectively to vary the distance through which the individual blades may be moved by said member.

13. In an air conditioning system, the combination of an elongated air duct having a discharge opening in one side, a grille covering the discharge edge of said opening, and a damper mounted rearwardly of said grille and comprising a plurality of pivotal vanes movable from closed to open relation with certain of the vanes operative to restrict the flow of air at oneside of the opening to a greater degree than at the other side of the opening, said grille having a plurality of air guiding and directing members disposed edgewise to the flow of air and relatively adjustable to control the direction of discharge of the air from the grille.

14. A grille having, in combination, a plurality of units each comprising a plurality of fins, cross plates rigidly connecting the tins of each unit at longitudinally spaced points, and means supporting said units for adjustment relative to each other.

15. A grille having, in combination, a plurality of units each comprising a plurality of fins, cross plates rigidly connecting the fins of the unit at longitudinally spaced points, and means supporting said units for adjustment relative to each other, said cross plates being also adjustable relative to each other.

16. A grille having, in combination, a plurality of fins arranged in spaced parallel relation, said fins being disposed edgewise to the flow of air through the grille and being of a width substantially greater than the spacing between them, and cross plates spaced apart longitudinally of the ilns. said cross plates being of a width greater than the spacing between them and having ad- .iustable diflusing elements adjacent their discharge edge portions, saidflns and cross plates serving to divide the moving body of air into sep-- arate streams, and said diffusing elements protruding laterally into said streams for impingement thereby. 7

1'7. A damper for registers comprising, in combination, a plurality of vanes plvotally mounted on spaced parallel axes to turn into and out of closed position, a common operating member movable in opposite directions between predetermined dainper-open and damper-closed positions, yieldable means connecting said member and said vanes and operating in the movement of the member from said closed position to said open position to turn all of said vanes from closed to open position simultaneously, and means cooperating with said vanes for limiting the opening movement thereof, said limiting means acting to permit certain of said vanes to be turned through one angle and other of the vanes to be turned through diii'erent angles.

18. A damper for registers comprising, in comblnation, a plurality of vanes pivotally mounted on spaced axes to turn into and out of closed position, a common operating member having a predetermined range of movement, means connecting said member and said vanes and operating in the movement of said member to turn said vanes between closed and open positions, and means operable selectively to vary the distance through which the individual vanes may be moved in response to movement of the member through said predetermined range.

19. A grille for covering the discharge opening of an air duct in an air conditioning system comprising, in combination, a plurality of thin fins mounted in spaced parallel relation edgewise to the flow of air, said fins being arranged in groups with the fins of each group assembled in a unitary structure, and means for pivotally supporting each of said groups for adjustment as a unit relative to the other groups.

20. In an air conditioning system, the combination with a duct having an opening, of a grille supported in closing relation to said opening and comprising a plurality of spaced parallel fins ar-- ranged in groups, means rigidly connecting the fins 01' the respective groups to form unitary structures, and means pivotally supporting each of said groups for movement as a unit.

JOHN A. GERMONPREZ. 

